It is time
by bluename
Summary: NO LONGER A ONESHOT. A clockworkDannyfatherson fic. Danny's secret is out; he is afraid. The boy decides to run away to the only being he can think of: Clockwork. And for 4 years, he stays living there until the ghost tells the boy: it is time to go back.
1. It is time

_**NEWCOMER PLEASE READ: This chapter, the one that appears as number 1, was initially a oneshot, so the actual first chapter in terms of continuity is the "third one" called "Secret's Out Day". (the "second" chapter is an author's note)**_

_**You can either read this and if interested check up the whole story**_

_**You can skip this and start from where I said**_

_**Or just read the oneshot.**_

_**Clearing things up 'cause some people get confused.**_

_**However route you end up taking I still feel honoured for the fact that you decided to stumble by my fanfic, so thank you!**_

* * *

_**OMG! I felt a terrible horrible urge to write this, and I couldn't help myself, so I just did it… without thinking twice.**_

_**The story is a ONESHOT, and I'm not making introductory descriptions for characters or events common in the plot line of the original series.**_

_**Also, this happens between Reality Trip and Eye for an Eye, and there is a little reference to the episode Infinite Realms. Even thought it isn't a big spoiler or anything like that, I still have to mention this so I don't get beat up by some people who haven't seen it yet and might be reading this :P**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom; it is property of Butch Hartman… WHO ROCCKKSSS!**_

It is time

Danny stood there waiting for the man to say something, even though he already knew what it was about. He could feel it, and thus was afraid of it. Some people called it destiny, but for him and itself, it was simply the normal curse of life. He couldn't escape from it anymore, and his keeper knew that already.

"It is time," he heard, and that was it. It was time to go back, to return to life, even though he felt he wasn't prepared to face that. Danny just kept standing there. He had so many things to say, but at the same time was speechless. So the boy remained standing there, and reached for his pendant, a gift he was given for his eighteenth birthday. Meanwhile, he felt a comforting hand being placed over his right shoulder.

Clockwork had been the best father he could have wished for, even if he wasn't genetically a relative. Danny knew that the man loved him as much as a son, for the halfa loved him like a father. But his duty with time was more important, and it was time to go back home, or so the master had told him.

Danny took a deep breath, still looking at the pendant. It was gold, and it was cut in a round shape with his emblem carved on it. When he opened the pendant, there was a clock inside that marked the hour of any place in the world he wanted to know. So it constantly keep telling him the hour of Amity Park, simply because it was the hour he had always lead since he was born. Because there were no 'hours' in the ghost zone, he felt it was better for him to keep working with the time he had always lived with.

It had been four years already, and he had never really known their reactions; it just happened too fast. But Danny felt a great urge to run away, afraid of their responses, and how they would feel knowing that they had been living with a freak all this time. So when the poor boy felt that he couldn't live between humans anymore, he ran away deep into the ghost zone. Even though he had nowhere to go, he was immediately reminded of Clockwork, the one ghost who he could always count on. And there he was, waiting for him at the door with a bedroom already done and dinner on the table.

Sometimes it freaked him out how the old ghost knew everything, and at the same time didn't say anything about him flying away from his responsibilities. Maybe…. maybe it was destiny, and was the best for him and the world at that time. But it wasn't now, not anymore.

Since his runaway, Clockwork had been the best father he could have wished for. The ghost always knew what to say, and always knew how he was feeling. Even though sometimes he could be overprotective and intolerable like any other parent, the master of time was always there when he needed him the most, even if sometimes he was too busy because of his job.

But he hadn't been the only one who had supported Danny since his arrival. There was one lovely and cute ghost that would always be there for the halfa. A ghost that could be much too overprotective when someone threatened the boy, and that was always behind him. A sweet little dog named Cujo.

He had appeared barking through the tower door the same day Danny had just arrived. How he knew Danny was there was beyond him, but he had a theory that the dog had tracked him with his nose. The halfa had been sitting at the table eating some food while he talked with Clockwork when Cujo had entered. He ran all the way and stopped in front of him, rolling over his back and waiting for Danny to pet him. He looked so cute that the boy couldn't resist asking the master of time if he could keep him, and the wise ghost couldn't help but smile at the moment. With a short laugh, Clockwork accepted him in the family, and since then, they had always been stuck together.

At last, there was one more member of the family, even though she didn't actually live in the tower. She always made sure to pass by to visit her closest friend, who was actually the one who she had most things in common with. More than anyone else in the world, literary.

Danielle was a free soul that had found a lair in the ghost zone since she had run away from Vlad. When her human half needed food, she had to go to one ghost in particular…. The Lunch Lady. When Danny first heard this, he couldn't stop laughing for a long time. Over time, the young halfa got to know and befriend more of his enemies, ironically, the Lunch Lady to begin with.

He also became a friend of Technus, due to one particular game that they liked to play a lot. Even though the game Doom reminded him of Tucker and Sam, he still liked to play it. He once bet a laptop from Technus, and fortunately the young halfa won the game. Even though there wasn't Internet in the ghost zone, Technus's computer did have access to it, since the ghost was a master in technology. Because of him, Danny was updated with the latest inventions in the world, as well as the best technology.

Other ghosts he befriended were Johnny 13, Kitty, Spectra, and a very kind ghost name George, a doctor Danny currently went to when he had any medical problems. This was often due to Skulker's attempts on hunting him, as well as his work on keeping the ghosts from exiting the Ghost Zone.

He still prevented ghosts from going out, with help of Frostbite, who always informed him on any portal created, courtesy of the infi-map. This had kept his town safe for the whole four years of his absence.

Sometimes, he would stick his head through one portal he knew better than any other…the Ghost Portal his parents created. There he would find the lab, and sometimes his parents working in it. On most other days, he made sure to guard the portal from where most ghosts escaped. Once, he had to hide from Sam, Tucker, and Jazz, who were actively searching for him. Fortunately, he was able to hide well. After that, he suspected that they gave up hope on his search, because he never saw them again.

"Danny?" he heard, snapping him out of his long reverie. Danny felt cold in his feet, and found himself being covered by saliva because of Cujo, who was trying to comfort him. "You know you can't stay here any longer. It is time," he heard again, and then felt Clockwork's comforting hand being taken away from his shoulder.

Danny turned around and hugged the ghost that had been like a father for four years up until now. "I will miss you so much," the halfa managed to say. With his head being placed in the ghost's chest, he missed the smile he achieved to place on the wise ghost's face.

"You know that I will be always watching over you," Clockwork replied, hugging the boy back. Then the ghost let go of him, and Danny let go too.

Managing to speak, he asked "Can I take Cujo with me?"

This made Clockwork grin and say, "Yes, of course there would be no problem with that." This caused the dog to bark happily, since it always seemed to understand every word they said.

Danny turned to look at Clockwork face to face, and then turned again to pick his mallet up.

They reached the door, and turning ghost; Danny hugged Clockwork for the last time. Then, saying 'goodbye' while crying, the boy flew towards the portal that once gave him his powers.

Being followed by a protecting dog, he found the portal and came inside, finding two old figures he hadn't seen in four years. With a soft sigh, he entered completely into the lab and said those long lost words.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

Then the two figures turned around and gasped.

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_**I hope you guys liked this. I have no idea why I wrote this, or what is its significance, I just felt something inside of me that made me do it, and I love how it turned out to be.**_

_**It's obviously a "Danny + Clockwork father + son" fic, and I know I should be writing the next chapter of Hate me, Kill me, or Help me. :P He he he Sorry nnU**_

_**HAVE A NICE DAYYY! Please review-begs you-**_

_**-Bluename**_

_**Posted: June 29, 2007**_

**_PS: Thanks so much Sophie for beta-ing my story! you made it readable :D_**


	2. Author's note AND a drabble

**_PLEASE PLEASE READ:_**

**_I already explained it last chapter but just in case: The following was an old Author's note as I mention below but it included AN EXTRA DRABLE which wasn't much edited nor is included in the story that starts next chapter._**

**_So please don't get confused, this is just a drable (that contains some things I add during the story). Chapter 1 is up next on the "3rd" chapter :D_**

**_thank you for reading!_**

* * *

**_SUPER EDIT:_**

**_Okay so there used to be here an Authors Note asking if I should continue this and what would the readers want me to write about if I actually continued...blah blah blah XD_**

**_Anyways its been a long time since then and this AN is not needed anymore so I decided to erase almost all of its content cause its kind of spoiling and deceiving._**

**_But I will leave the drabble here! (I will leave the old Authors note that goes after it intact because of nostalgic reasons XD)._**

**_Hope you like it...n_n_**

I care

Danny was awestruck; he had got lost in the castle three times in the week and could hardly find his way to the bathroom when he was asleep. But right now that was the least of his preoccupations since, even thought he has escaped, the halfa was worried about the security of Amity Park, and was starting to miss his friends. That's why he hadn't touched his food since he was called for dinner, and Clockwork needed to leave in not too much.

They were both sitting in front of the other in a very large and old-fashioned wooden table; the room was huge and the walls where painted in green and was covered in clocks of different types and sizes. There was a big chandelier hanging from the roof that illuminated the whole place, and there were around ten chairs positioned at each side of the table vertically, and one chair at each horizontal side. This place was rarely used since its only purpose was to be the meeting place of the Great Authorities of the ghost zone when times of trouble. But it was at the same time the only place in the whole castle with a table to eat on, and so it was going to be used for Danny everyday while he stayed at Clockworks'.

"Danny, are you fine?" asked Clockwork after a long silence and little eating from the halfa's part.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks" Daniel answered with a fake smile, but at meeting the 'I know you are lying' face of the Master of Time, he added, "I'm just worried about my friends...and family"

"I know child, but not eating is not going to make you know" Clockwork replied giving the boy a supportive smile.

"I guess you are right" and so then Danny started to eat with a little more enthusiasm. For a very odd reason it felt good to be supported by someone as the Master of Time, maybe because of his authority and the thought that he had saved his future and the people who he cared the most for. The gratitude that the halfa felt for the old ghost (which ironically had just changed into the form of a child) was immense, but he still wondered why did Clockwork had received him, already prepared, and without asking or saying anything, "Can I ask you something?" he finally said.

The full ghost smiled, "Off course" changing into an old man.

"Why..." but Danny hesitated and then continued, "Why do you ask me things, if you already know the answers?"

"Because, my boy, I can only see many possible futures, and so then the outcome will be always a surprise for me" he answered in the simplest way he could without giving the child a headache.

"But I'm not refereeing to that, I mean, like you know it all, then why do you ask things like '_do you know your way to the bathroom?'_ " Clockwork grinned at this remembering what had happened two days ago, "or _'what do you_ _want to eat?'_, you know, those kinds of things" Danny said puzzled, thought he had smiled a bit after seeing Clockwork laughing about the 'bathroom' comment.

But Clockwork didn't answered straight ahead, he smiled to Danny, stood up, and then added, "I need to go now, the Observants are waiting". The ghost disappeared behind the nearest door and before completely closing it, he gave a last look to the child and answered "Because I care", and then Danny couldn't feel him anymore, thought he had heard it all, and smiling, finished eating dinner.

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**_Please guys don't hate me for the horrible grammar that I'm unable to notice right now because of my poor English since my maternal language is Spanish and I'm trying hard to improve my English he he heeeh... :P_**

**_Umm so yeah, a random little cute scrap, thanks if you actually took the time to read it all, I really appreciate it, and PLEASE please please -begs you- review with opinions etc.. And sorry for wasting your precious time nnU,_**

**_Have a nice day,_**

**_-Blue_**


	3. Secret is Out day

**_I shall BLAME all of my readers for making me continue what I swore to myself I wouldn't XD jajjajaja I'm just kidding! I love you guys! thanks for the reviews, alerts and faves! seriously I wouldn't be writting this if it weren't for all of my supporting readers!_**

**_And your wishes are my comand, here is the "second" or "first" (however you wanna see it) chapter! I'm so exited, I think I wrote more than I wanted so I had to stop it before the point that I had planned, so that would become the begining of chp 2 (or 3?)_**

**_Thanks again! let the chapter begin..._**

"Secret is Out" day

There was still sunlight in the sky, and the clouds where evenly spread letting the brightness of the day fall upon the city of Amity Park, but the weather had always been oblivious to the changes in the course of life unless there was the coincidence where it would cry on a sad day. The clouds didn't cry this day. No, no one had died, but the citizens would realize that someone had died a long time ago, and this day would change the course of life of more than one in Amity Park.

It was Secret's Out Day.

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Below the shinning sky there was a fight going on, and the citizens couldn't do much but stare from where they were hiding. Well, that would be most of the citizens because some of them where the exception.

The Fentons where driving in their GVA persecuting the two fighting ghosts, and two friends of one of he fighting ghosts where running with a Fenton Thermos looking for the right time to capture the second ghost. They were Sam Manson and Tucker Foley. The fighting ghosts where Danny Phantom and an unknown ghost named Sin. For his own existence was a sin, and his mere purpose was to destroy the life of those who tried to make the world a better place.

Sin was a black thin ghost with not a definite body that held a head covered by the own shadow of the dark green hood that fell over his face. His talents? Off course the universal invisibility, intangibility, the power of overshadowing, ecto-blasts, ecto-shield, and flying. Apart from those he could also transport himself anywhere he had already been before in the world or ghost zone even thought he couldn't jump from one dimension to the other. At the same time, he had the unique ability to track those pure hearted, and he had also the talent to annoy anyone at any time. That last ability had worked really well on Danny.

Phantom was more than annoyed, he was angry. They had been fighting for over an hour since Danny had felt the other ghost with his ghost sense when he was doing his homework. Sin had appeared standing at his windowsill and had destroyed what the half-ghost had done of his math homework. Now they where already tired even thought Sin would never give up since he had found such an interesting target.

Through the entire hour the "bad" ghost had already attacked the citizens of Amity Park, and has also tried to hurt the ones Danny most cared about, in order to fury him, and in the process he had destroyed part of the city's infrastructure. At least we could say that the architects of Amity Park where getting rich as well as the constructors.

Danny dogged one blast, then another, and after that he blasted 6 of his own in the time the other had only thrown 2. Yes, he was faster because the half-ghost has fought much more powerful ghosts. Even then that didn't gave him such a terrific advantage, and it could have been said that they were even. Sin was hit by three of the blasts but recovered fast enough to transport behind Danny and punch him in the back. Phantom turned around with a blast formed, but the other ghost had already transported above him, and as the halfa realized this he created an ecto-shield fast enough to protect him form the attack that followed.

It was then when Danny realized that his energy was starting to drain away pretty fast and that he needed to end this soon. He could trust Sam and Tucker to suck the other ghost as soon as he was defeated, but the problem was defeating him. Consequently something snapped in his head and he began to build energy in himself as at the same time he held the ecto-shield. Sin stared at him with curious eyes for a couple of seconds after continuing on his attempt of breaking the shield.

Then, a bright green light illuminated the sky for a short amount of time; until this light overshadowed the one of the sun, and it was after that that the sound of an explosion came with the blinding light.

All of this, the impact, the light, the sound, the energy, the whole explosion, had come from Danny.

Afterwards everything went calm...silent.

While Phantom's world became black...as he fell into unconsciousness.

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There was a huge commotion below the sky as those human beings who actually couldn't fly stared at the outcome of the battle.

As the green light began to spread out from Phantom's body everything became silent still. Then came the huge green explosion that left everyone blinded, and as it developed everyone saw how the second ghost's black body, which was easy to recognize in the green light, disintegrated as the wave of impact became stronger. At the same time, the ghost hero suddenly started to fall with an incredible speed and force towards the ground as the explosion ended. In that moment the sight was something in between beautiful and terrifying. On one side it seemed as Phantom was descending like an angel being torn away from the sky, and on the other hand was the terrible sight of Sin being torn apart.

It had been too much for both ghosts, but at least the citizens were relieved to know that their hero was still "complete".

Also, the impact as he made contact with the ground was so strong, that it made a hole into the concrete of the road where he had fallen. So as a minute passed, the people started to get out of their hiding spot and to approach the impact zone.

What happened next might have been too much for just one person; for Danny it was.

The halfa was aware of most of the things that had happen up to this point. He had perfectly seen with regretful eyes how Sin had, in some way, died. Danny was also conscious that he had fallen from the sky, that he was in human form, and that he was in a big hole of concrete. Thought he knew these things, the boy wasn't much in touch with the delicate situation that he was in because he still needed time to recover from the fight.

Then reality struck hard as he took away his eyes from the sky, and he stared of what was ahead of him. There, in the distant end of the hole where his parents.

Now, that wasn't much of a happy sight.

Afterwards, he realized that the only ones staring at him weren't only his parents: since most of the population that lived in this part of the city where staring at him and those who didn't live in that zone could see him from the perspective of the T.V. camera that was in one of the edges of the hole.

Daniel Fenton freaked out. He didn't know what to say or what to do.

Meanwhile, Tucker and Sam (who had been running around the whole city trying to follow Danny, and where now exhausted) had already reached the crowd of curious people, and they where pushing themselves through them shouting "Danny" all the way through. As they did so Danny stood up, and most of the crowd took a step back. All except from the camera guy and his parents, who looked at him with doubtful eyes.

Seconds passed and there was still silence, and the tension in the air was so thick it seemed that it was going to rain or snow anytime soon. Even thought the weather was perfect in this crucial day.

The halfa took sight of his two best friends,but they where abruptly stopped by the hands of their parents that had reached their shoulders and restrained them on taking another step forward.

"Danny" Sam called, and they both stared at each other...Sam was to the point of crying. Then the boy looked at Tucker whose head hang low, and seemed to repress the sadness into anger as he clenched one fist. Meanwhile, Danny knew that Jazz was in Fenton Works probably watching at the news.

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Everything happened then too fast. His parents wouldn't talk, but he was too afraid to ask. The stares the other people where giving him weren't much of sympathy, and his friends couldn't do much but do as they parents said. So in a desperate way to get rid of all of these emotions, Danny did the only thing he could think of: run away.

They boy gathered enough strength to fly up in the air as everybody below gasped, and giving a last look of farewell to his friends, he took away in his human form.

Danny flew to the outskirts of the city for hours, and for answers, but every time he closed his eyes tears formed in his eyes. All of these because he felt like a coward. Actually, he was a coward! And the stares they had given him...like he was some kind of monster! It was all too unbearable.

Thought he loved his friends, his sister and...his parents.

His parents...the halfa wasn't sure about them. The shocked way they have looked at him weren't much of a surprise, but still they hadn't say ANYTHING! Not even when he took off...nothing at all! Like if they didn't care. Even Sam had called his name, but not them. No one single gasp, no one single emotion of kindness or understanding.

That was what he had feared all the time. Rejection.

What had happen in summer didn't count: since he wasn't sure if they have accepted him because the boy saved their lives.

"ARGHHH" Danny landed on the ground, and laying in the beneath the last sunrays coming from the twilight, he took his head with his hand and started screaming into the air. At least some pain would go away: the one that had built in that scream and one he wasn't sure exactly which of all of those troubles he had was.

Then, with a deep breath, he gave a last look to the sun after taking a final decision. He would go into the only place he would not meet any kind of emotional rejection.

The ghost zone.

* * *

Getting in had been really easy. Danny just flew across the outer wall of the kitchen and into the basement (all of this as fast as possible to avoid contact with his parents in the case they where home) where the Ghost Portal had been left open when his parents rushed out at hearing the ghost alarm which had gone off.

Now the halfa was standing in front of his future, and uncertain of everything that would happen from the moment he crossed to the another dimension, he gave a last long and saddened sight to the lab. He changed into Phantom, and then he went into the Ghost Zone; into his new life.

Tears falling constantly towards the floor.

* * *

At the same time he got in the halfa didn't recieve much of a welcome. Walker detected him, and he had been running away and fighting against him for over 30 minutes already. Right now he was hiding in a cave of one of the floating islands praying not to be found by any other ghost. Suddenly he saw from the corner of his eyes some of Walkers minions passing by, but luckily they didn't find him.

Danny was bleeding, alone, exhausted, and hopeless by the time being. The boy needed to eat someting, and especially he wanted to rest. So he decided to think about his options: He had some friends in the ghost zone but they couldn't be of much help, that excepting one he had been tempted to visit since that beginning.

Clockwork.

The master of time. The halfa wondered for a couple of minutes, and after making sure all of the minions had gone away, Danny started flying towards a castle he knew exactly where ,and how, it was.

The boy flew for almost an hour until he finally came upon the land of time, easily to recognize from afar for the clocks and the pieces of them that could be seen all around the famous castle where time was more than just a word, it was a job and the way history flowed.

As Phantom, he flew all the way to the door, and as he was about to knock the door it suddenly opened before he had the chance to raise his hand.

There, in the entrance, was Clockwork in his adult form smiling, and for the first time in hours Danny finally remembered how to smile.

"Hello Daniel, come in please" The blue ghost said moving aside to let the halfa in. The boy moved forward reluctantly and he tried to say something, but as he opened his mouth the master of time held up a hand for silence, and gestured with the same hand to follow him. Danny did, and after walking for a couple of minutes, and going into a couple of doors, he found himself into a room where the food was already served for him.

"Take sit please and eat because I know you must be starving" Clockwork said changing at the same time into an old man. Again, the boy said as he was told and with a lot of enthusiasm (and hunger) he sat down.

They were now both sitting in front of the other in a very large and old-fashioned wooden table; the room was huge and the walls where painted in green, which were covered in clocks of different types and sizes. There was a big chandelier hanging from the roof that illuminated the whole place, and there were around ten chairs positioned at each side of the table vertically, and one chair at each horizontal side. This place was rarely used since its only purpose was to be the meeting place of the Great Authorities of the ghost zone when times of trouble. But it was at the same time the only place in the whole castle with a table to eat on.

"Thank you Clockwork, I really appreciate it" Danny said for the first time, and he gave him another smile. Even though, he was still hesitant on touching the food because he wasn't emotionally well enough to eat at the moment.

"I'm glad you are here Danny. I have been expecting you for some time already, and please eat something because I don't want your stomach to tear itself apart" The ghost replied also smiling, and so then the boy started to eat. The plate in front of him contained fired bacon, a couple of eggs, his favorite cereal poured in a bowl with milk, and lemon juice. Clockwork never leaving his reassuring and smiling face from Danny, so he could give the boy some confidence, hope, and the feeling that someone cared for him. Because at this moment, that was what he needed the most.

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**_Ahhhhh I'm DONEEE! I thought it was imposible XD_**

**_WOOOOOOOOOT YAY! hahahaha so I'm in recess week (something they came up in my country to activate tourism at this time of the year :P ). I actually had some free time in a long period of time and I thought it was the perfect oportunity to write something :D_**

**_I hope you liked this chapetr as much as I did. I felt a bit sentimental when I first wrote "Clockwork" maybe because I had to re-read the original oneshot and was feeling sympaty for him XD anyways I hope I could transmit some of those feelings to you :P_**

**_Thanks for reading!_**

**_-Blue_**

**_Posted: November 16, 2008_**

**_PS: Sorry if there are many mistakes, I wasn't able to get the story beta readed but I did my best so hope you could still managed to enjoy it!_**


	4. Feels like home

**_I'M SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!! for:_**

**_1. TAKING SO FREAKING LONG to update_**

**_2. THE SHORTNESSSsss of this chapter_**

**_The problem is that, even though I enjoy writting this story a lot, I've have a MAJOR writer´s block, I wrote this piece 2 months ago!! 2 MONTHS AGO!! and since then everytime I encourage myself to sit down and wirte I just....cant!!_**

**_I feel so bad!!! but in return, anyone who reviews will get a sneak peak from the next chapter (just give me some time to answer them while I can come up with something good n_nU )_**

* * *

Feels like home

The Ghost Zone.

-Clockwork's castle

-Dinning room / Meeting place

Hour: Unknown

Activities: LOTS of eating and some talking.

Mood: between shyness happiness...combined with a piece of satisfied hunger and kindness

...................

Danny thought he was going to be torn appart! no there was not a ghost attack, no he didn't have a bomb inside his being, no Vlad wasn't taking over the world......The boy have eaten too much. The funny thing? he couldn't stop eating....too much hunger, too much food, so little control.

Clockwork thought it was hilarious. Thought not a single real laugh parted from his lips since he did a lot to supres the part of him who wanted to crack up and roll in the floor laughing. Why? because he was the master of time! he couldn't do that! it didn't look good, and at the same time he didn't want to make Danny feel that he had to stop because he needed to eat to calm down his emotions and his hunger.

.

.

.

........Suddenly a bark:

**_BARK BARK_**

...and the kind of pitch sound that the bark made sounded kind of cute and curious. Where were those cute sounds coming from? and as time passed the barks became stronger and louder until Danny had to stop eating and look around for answers.

The answer came running and barking with it's tail happilly moving left to right, right to left, through the door.

Of course, it was cujo. You already knew that.

"CUJO" Danny cried with joy as the dog ran towards him moving it's tail and covering the boy with saliva. Then the dog rolled upside down and waited for Danny to pet him, which he did.

The halfa took the cute green dog in his hands and started to play with Cujo who seemed to be in dreamland at that moment.

Clockwork had have enough, and he was losing control. Suddenly a grin formed in his too-serious mouth.

"Awww aren't you a cute thing Cujo!! Where have you been all this time?" Danny asked to the dog expecting no answer because well....he was a dog.

"Bark" Cujo kind of said, which was at least something.

"I think I just found a new pet and I've been in the ghost zone for less than an hour" The halfa said grinning and then looking at Clockwork looking for an answer.

"Of course you have Danny" The master of time laughed, then continued: "You can keep him because you know you are staying with me here right?"

"Ummm.......I am?" Skeptically he asked.

"Just follow me" The full ghost answered, and Danny did as he said while still having Cujo in his hands.

They went upstairs, through a lot of doors, and Danny throught a lot of thinking. So far everything had been so good it couldn't be happening. Wasn't he supposted to be crying and depressing over what happened? Shouldn't he be homeless and wondering over and over again about the posibility of going back? But then he looked back at Cujo and up to Clockwork's back (because he was in front of Danny) and couldn't do much but smile.

Danny wasn't the kind of sentimental being normally, but many things have changed over the time and he couldn't become a spirit frozen being with no heart because of what he have been through. Was that what the master of time was trying to prevent? Danny wasn't sure and he didn't want to know really, the boy just wanted to be in peace for at least a short moment.

The ghost abruptly stopped. The boy almost stumbling upon him.

They were in front of a purple door at the center of a big illuminated alley that had another doors that held to another unknonwn places and the walls were painted, like everywhere else, green.

Clockwork opened the door, a key had formed in his hand and before Danny could blink the door was already open wide.

He couldn't believe it.

Not until the master of time pronounced the following words:

"Your room"

* * *

**_There you go!! The shortest chapter in the history of the WOOORLLLDD!!!!!!!!!_**

**_I know the beginning is WIERD....that's because I was so BLOCKED, I had to write SOMETHING to warm myself up! it looks funny now that I look at it XD_**

**_SORRY AGAIN!!_**

**_Thanks a LOT for reading!!!_**

**_-Blue_**

**Updated: August 20, 2009**


	5. The place I call home

**_OMG AN UPDATE? NO WAY!!_**

**_Yes people.....it's not a joke! it's not hte end of the world!! it really is a new chapter!! *GASP*_**

**_Well remember the sneak peak I offered for every review? well I really wanted to reply those reviews bladly, so I decided to start writting the story to have a sneak peak ready to send, but when I did so....I continued...and continued on....and when I realized it was too late XD lol!!_**

**_Sooo....that means that I dedicate the following chapter to my reviewers: "Kiomori", "I P ON YOUR GRAVE", and "starr1095". Thank you very much n_n for helping me get rid of my infamous Writer's Block! :D I owe you at least a dedication XD  
_**

**_SO YAY! XD new chappie!! this one is actually has a relative normal lenght, not like the last one XD_**

**_Enjoy!!_**

* * *

The place I call home

He was awestruck.

.

.

Really, who wouldn't?

Okay, so Clockwork was the master of time, but seriously, what the hell?

It was like if Clockwork has been waiting for Danny for a long time, and had arranged the room just for him. Even thought he shouldn't been surprised that the master of time had predicted his arrival, why had he bothered to put up a room just for him? Was the ancient ghost telling him that running away at that time, at that precise moment, was necessary?

Danny turned around and looked up to look at the ghost who had just turned into an old man, and when he opened his mouth to ask him something Clockwork said first:

"Don't say anything, we will talk later, there are some things I need to do, for the meanwhile I know that it might be good for you to do some thinking." Then the ghost smiled at him, a warm smile that made the boy's heart feel better, and so the ghost turned away to leave.

When Danny got a hold of the door handle he realized that the key was still there, and the key ring was a small DP symbol which had a black border, and the symbol off course was white. The halfa smiled to himself, Clockwork was awesome!

Then he turned around to get into the room, but just before he did a cute small dog slipped inside before him and started barking "cutely", going around sniffing, and running across the room. Danny smiled again and followed the cute barking thing.

The room was a little much bigger than the one at Fenton Works (but not that much). The walls were painted, for a change not green, but white. There was a bed located in the right corner whose sheets were of a blue and black pattern of lines. At the other corner was a wooden desk (with it's respective chair) and on top of it a Fenton thermos, besides the thermos there was a little chocolate with a note that said "Make yourself feel like home", and there was no doubt about who left it.

But there was something that really surprised him, in front of his bed was a little purple dog-bed just for Cujo.

The master of time was starting to freak the poor halfa a little already, and that was not easy to accomplish.

Against the wall, besides the door, was an empty wardrobe that when opened you could find a big mirror on the back of the door. Off course there were no windows, and there was a light bulb that illuminated the whole room which was at the center of the roof, but that was no necessary information.

What was important right now was one thing: Danny felt tired as HELL. He had pushed himself too much: accidentally realizing an enormous amount of ecto-energy, then completely drown out he managed to fly away, and miraculously he also managed to fly through the ghost zone and finally arrive to the TimeCastle. Where did all that energy come from was beyond him. Probably it was will power? But in fact it was really the adrenaline.

So to put the long story short.....The halfa was so tired that without hesitation or second thought he threw himself on top of the bed, and in whichever position he ended up falling, in that position he went into a very deep sleep.

What he didn't notice was a cute little green ghost jumping over the bed and taking a spot besides him so that he could share with his beloved master the same dream.

Somewhere in the Time Caste the information of the present time was getting into The Master of Time's brain, and with it a very cute image of a boy and its cute dog.

A smile forming in Clockworks lips, he couldn't help it.

* * *

When Daniel woke up......well.....he wasn't sure if it was day or night.

He turned around and found that there was food on top of the desk, and a note which read:

_By the time you wake up, my most certain guess from all the possible futures is that you would have slept for around 7 hours, which means that you might be hungry again by that time. In such case my prediction is wise; I chose a meal you will like._

_Now then, see you in its precise time._

_-Clockwork._

Danny blinked once...then twice.

_What the........_

So, since when was the old ghost so caring? He was suddenly acting so protecting towards him since the moment he arrived, he kind of reminded him of his...........parents.

The halfa left out a sigh.

Again, Clockwork was right. He was hungry. So the boy sat down on the chair and realized that what the ancient ghost have brought him was a bowl of milk and cereal of his favorite flavor and branch. And he began to eat without hesitation. For a moment forgetting about his parents, but as he was done it all came back to him again.

It was painful.

Their faces.....their expressionless gaze: he remembered well, like a vivid photograph; and it hurt.

It hurt.

Danny let a tears slip from his right eye. Cujo who had jumped off the bed as soon as the boy had was giving him a concerned look (yes the little dog is pretty intelligent isn't he?).

**Bark!**

The dog heart fully barked trying to cheer up the halfa, and Danny smiling brought him up to his lap, and started petting him. Everything always felt better when he pets the dog. Actually, he had always wanted one but the rules in his former home where---

_'Wait....former? As in old?....no.....is this my home now? No! I just arrived; Clockwork is certainly just trying to cheer me up, or not......he arranged this room, does he expects me to stay......for a long time?'_

Danny then suddenly stood up, the dog jumping back to the floor in the process. He reached for the door and went out of the bedroom; he was going to get answers from Clockwork NOW.

So he went down a green corridor, then through a door into another green hall, then into an also green corridor..........tickling clocks covering most of the castle all the way through.

The never ending sound of the clocks that would drive a person mad if they were to stay for too long in great silence hearing the TIC TOC TIC TOC nonstop in a frenzied speed, at different tempos. And suddenly it came to him how Clockwork was really living like what he just thought would be terrible. It must be lonely. Quiet. Maddening. How could he manage that?

When he stopped thinking for quite a second he realized that he was in another green hall.

.

He was lost.

_._

_'__Just how big is this place? And what is all this green everywhere? What about some other color!!Geeeezz!!'_ Danny thought, and then sighed. But as soon as he began thinking how to get back into the room he heard _click_ and suddenly Clockwork appeared behind him.

"You mustn't wonder around like that, you could get lost" Said the old ghost, using a teasing tone at the last part. Danny made a little jump of surprise as he was taken off guard, then he turned around to look at the Master of Time.

"Well it wouldn't be that difficult if all the walls in this place weren't DAMN GREEN!" Danny said annoyed. The fact that there was not a change, that everywhere he went it was all the same, was driving him crazy already. He had been here before, but never long enough to notice this, and with an exasperate look he met Clockwork's stare. The ghost then replied:

"Have you ever wondered why the center for protection of the time stream is in this realm? In the ghost zone? Is because ectoplasm is perfect for this task, off course I won't start explaining why and how. But since it is like that, the castle must be built upon the same material, which means that it's naturally green. We can't change its nature dear boy. You will have to adapt to It." replied the ghost smiling, changing into a child.

"Then how come my room is white? You painted it! We can paint the walls!" Danny replied exasperated.

"Didn't you get lost right now? You learned the lesson then: that this place is huge enough, and I'm busy enough. So I don't mind about those trivial things as the color of the walls really." Clockwork stated obviously.

"Perfect then, I'm not busy, I can paint at least the main halls....let's begin with the 'dinning room'.....white would fit as a good color!" Said then the boy with determination. He hasn't realized what he was really saying: that he was going to stay for long. Clockwork was pleased with that, and changing to look like an adult he kept smiling, a little bit more now.

Clockwork grinned. "If you really want to take your time on doing such: I won't object. I really don't mind."

"Okay then, now that that's settle. Clockwork......umm....well you see, I was looking for you because..............I have some questions and....well, I need you to answer them." Now the boy had changed his annoyed look to one of a shy boy, thought then it would change to amazement as he heard Clockwork's reply:

"Shoot".

Now THAT wasn't the kind of vocabulary you would expect form the wise Master of Time. Danny gave him a curious look. Clockwork yet again, smiled.

"Right...umm....are you expecting me to stay here for a long time? I mean.....the bedroom; everything....is settled as if I was going to live here." Danny asked thought never really looking at the old ghost, but the floor.

"Daniel, it's your choice. I can't see the future, just the possibilities. I can only know the present and past as it is. But future is not set in stone. If you wish to leave or stay, it's your choice, that's what life is about." The ghost answered wise fully.

"Then the question is for me to answer?" asked the boy now looking up.

"Precise"

"Arghhh I guess.....I guess....no nothing." The halfa said, and then sighed.

"You can trust me with anything you like dear boy, if there is anything you need to say I will be there, just call me. Don't be scared."

"Well it's just that........I think I'm afraid, of...of going back...... I-I'm afraid on being rejected, I'm afraid to look again at my parent's expressionless eyes. I'm sure that since now on Tucker and Sam won't be allowed to see me anymore. I'm afraid that it will hurt much more than it already does." Danny said, words rushing up out of his mouth, as so did the tears from his eyes. His feelings where finally out. It relieved him. It helped him. It felt good.

Clockwork floated forward until he was in front of Danny, as I already said: his smile never leaving his face. The boy looked up. The ghost then placed his hands upon the halfa's shoulders, and very kindly said:

"Is ok Danny. You are human after all. Everything is going to be alright. Let time heal the scars, it always does. Pain is temporal as so its happiness, the combination of them makes us strong, and is part of everyone's life. Being afraid is also ok, as long as you won't keep yourself from living because of your fears......as long as you don't drown your life in them.....it's ok....and everything is going to be alright my dear boy" The wise ghost words comforting the boy, who finally smiled between fallen tears.

"Thank you Clockwork, for everything". The boy then said, and as he did the ghost teleported him and Danny to the corridor where the door to the halfa's room was placed. Then removing his hands form the boy Clockwork said:

"You are welcome" and as he did, he was gone.

Leaving a relieved child in the green corridor.

* * *

**_And......That's it!!_**

**_Now isn't Clockwork a bit out of character? Hmmmm......well I hope not, but I have the feeling he is, dang it!! I would hate myself if he is :S_**

**_Anyways, I hope you liked it. But I have to warn that I might (enfasis on MIGHT) not be able to update until December, because it's my first Semester in University and I want it to start well!! :D So yep, I will try to find a long holiday or something like that....._**

**_I must apologize to I P ON UR GRAVE for not sending him/her a sneak peak...the reason is because you are not a registered member on FanFiction, and didn't left an e-mail either.....and I'm apologizing because your review made me understand that I have forgotten to describe if Clockwork was a child, adult or an old man on my previous chapter. Thank you for that!! and sorry for my carelessness!!_**

**_With that said.....Have a nice day everyone :D_**

**_Reviews are much apreciated LOL XD but you already knew that XD_**

**_-Blue_**

**_Updated: August 30, 2009_**

**_PS: ARGHH I'M DESPERATELY IN LOOK FOR A BETA READER :( I ADMIT: WRITTING IN ANOTHER LENGUAGE ISN'T EASY!! XD so if you will like to help me I will be more than happy :D thanks n_n *begs*_**


	6. Surprises

**_I'M SO SORRY!!!_**

**_I promised to have this chp by December, and I actually had it written all by October but I had a lot of things in my head and was very busy as so was my beta reader!! so I completely forgot about updating and revising the chapter o_O_**

**_So as you will notice later the current version of it hasn't been beta-read, so feel free to point out any mistakes; I accept any kind of constructive criticism :D_**

Surprises

Opening the door, Danny found himself sighing, sitting on the bed, and staring at the floor. His head was empty, and his tears had ceased to fall. The halfa was grateful for Clockwork's advice, and had decided to stay with him for the time being. But that didn't meant he knew what to do; it was supposed to be a temporal decision. Little would he know that that decision would last for 4 years.

But between empty thoughts, sorrow, and nonsense, he ended up thinking about what it was going to be like while he stayed in the Ghost Zone. Then he realized his first mistake: no clothes.

The boy moaned, stood up, and opened the wardrobe.

Surprise.

Again Clockwork had done it.

All of his clothes were now inside the wardrobe, but this time there was no note.

Then, as the boy scanned out of curiosity his newly found clothes, he ended up looking himself in the mirror for the first time; what he saw wasn't pleasant: His jumpsuit was torn apart where Sin had hurt him, and since it had been a long time since their fight the wounds were already closing and the blood mixed with ectoplasm was dry. It was a terrifying view seeing his clothes torn like that and the dry blood attached to his skin, making him look like he had been murdered a long time ago. So the boy didn't think it twice and decided to retrieve a clean shirt, a jean, and underwear.

He was going to take a bath.

So he opened the door, making a gesture to the dog to stay in the room (which he happily obeyed by sitting in the floor with a huge smile on his face moving his tail), and taking the key out of the handle, he went outside of his room and back again to the corridor.

Then he didn't move.

_'Now, where the hell is the bathroom?'_

* * *

**_Thirty minutes later:_**

_'Ok now, I should turn right and into this corridor, and up the stairs here.....and....'_ He opened the door....."BINGO!!" Danny sighed in relief as he saw the bathroom FINALLY! So he transformed into a human, for the first time since he had come to the ghost zone, and went in.

* * *

_**Ten minutes before:**_

Danny had entered to at least 15 different corridors and halls already (all freaking green and full of clocks off course), but no bathroom. It had been already 20 minutes since he had gone in look for the desired destination but to no avail. He knew that Clockwork had warned him about wandering around, that he would get lost, but this time it was completely necessary for him to go to the restroom and to take a shower.

It was then when he heard the sound _click_, and this time he knew exactly what it meant. Turning around he faced the wise ghost.

To his annoyance, he had the strange feeling that Clockwork was not smiling to make him feel better like before....it was a teasing smile that fitted perfectly whit his childish appearance. He had his hands folded up front, and his staff hovering to his right.

"I wonder....do you know your way to the bathroom?" asked Clockwork to Danny's dismay.

"Not funny" muttered Danny annoyed and scowling. He was not in the mood right now for teasing smiles and unnecessary questions, and the funny thing was: the ghost knew exactly that.

Clockwork grinned a little. "Very well child, I'm going to give you a map of the castle showing you how to reach the places you will be using most" Said that, a '_map_' appeared in his hand.

Danny raised an eyebrow....he was used to have maps that where actually rectangular, and this was not that kind of map.

The _'thing'_ was....three-dimensional, like the ones on the secret agent movies he liked, but at the same time slightly different.....no...Completely different!

What he had before him was a ghost!

Clockwork waited a moment to see if Danny was going to say something or at least take it. He didn't. So the ghost continued: "Surprised? Don't worry, is not really a conscious ghost. Is a shape-shifting ectoplasmic organism, and I molded it so it would work as a map, I'm sure you should know how it works; its like the ones in the movies: you ask him for the destination, and 'he' will show you the way."

Indeed it was an ectoplasmic organism....it was a freaking green blob that took the form of the castle....and well...it kind of moved sometimes!! Like a jell-o!! And he was immediately reminded of "Flubber"*1.

Danny took it, the blob making a slight jump, and Danny jumping afterwards making the wise ghost, who was morphing into an old man, to grin again. He hasn't laughed so much for at least a century, and it felt good. Well it was also because he was happy to have Danny in, and since he couldn't tease the Observants (since they expected him to be a serious boring ghost with no sense of humor), it was good to have someone to help him relieve some stress.

"Suit yourself Danny" and with that the ghost was gone in an instant.

* * *

Clockwork reappeared on the Main Time Tower.

For him everyday was the same. Thought maybe the word "day" was inappropriate since for the ghost there was no difference between one day and another. Time was just one; it couldn't be divided in pieces like the human's calendar intended to do. Time was just one flowing masterpiece of events happening in different spaces. And for him all those events where just the same.

-His appearance changed to one of an adult-

Only once in a while something terrible would occur, and that was when he was allowed to intercede. So in order to do that he would first have to know all the series of events and decisions made way before the problem even started, so that he would know what to do at the exact time without altering so much the future.

But doing this, to take care and pay attention to each and every detail of the present, was lonely and boring. And against common belief: he wasn't really a boring Know-it-all ghost who liked to be alone.

Well, somehow he liked to be alone, but it was because normally the only ones visiting would be the Observants, and they kind of annoyed him sometimes.

But Danny.....he was something else.

Thanks to the fact that the Observants had left the halfa under his surveillance, Danny was the only one allowed to visit and consult him without having any consequences. At the same time, while keeping an eye on him and helping the halfa prevent himself on creating an obscure future, he had gotten attached to the boy.

It was amazing how someone who was so used to live alone was actually the same person who knew the actions of everybody in the world. But he had known since...well...not the beginning because he doesn't recall such thing as the beginning of time....but since always, that it was going to be this way. So, getting attached to a boy, treating him like a child when he wasn't used to show that side of his personality: was cruel. Because someday he knew that Danny was going to leave, first form the castle, and then from his life.

-He changed now into an old man-

The wise ghost sighed.

At the same time, and most importantly, he was grateful of the boys presence but still that was not really a good sign. Because, for him, time went way too fast, he was immortal, and he knew that really soon he would have to send the boy back for the timeline's sake.

The fact that he was getting attached......

The idea of having a boy to take care of.....

It was terrible because soon enough he would have to leave; die. And it was going to hurt.

It didn't matter what different future might happen, at the end he would die for certain.

And at the end it was going to be painful indeed.

How did he let this happen? When he knew it was probably going to happen? But alas, Clockwork must recall the fact that life loves irony, and so then, the only person whose different possible futures he couldn't perceive was himself.

Yes, life loved to mess up even with him.

* * *

Danny was still roaming through the castle.

But this time he wasn't lost; instead he had decided to tour around it since he didn't have anything else to do.

..

After he had taken the shower the boy had managed to make it back to the room in a short amount of time, which made him realize that his room and the bathroom where placed really close to each other.....which was frustrating since it had taken him 30 minutes to find it before!!

After Danny came back and left the dirty clothes in his room, he called Cujo to follow him, and the dog happily exited the room.

It had taken him a couple of hours to explore almost the whole castle, and he had found out that there was actually a kitchen in the basement (he considered the place where his room was located as the first floor....but there was not really a way to number them) even though it was still a mystery where all the food came from.

At the same time, on the 'third floor' he had found, to his amazement, a garden. He wasn't really expecting that! The flowers and trees born on the earth of that unimaginable place seemed to come from the human world. But the sky that rose above the garden seemed to be artificial: a failed attempt on imitating the human world's sky, or so it looked for him, thought his real nature eluded the halfa, and he really didn't care about that.

Among other things, he had found out that Clockwork had marked places that he was prohibited to enter. In the map they were shown as doors with a red dot, and he really didn't want to know what was behind those doors since he appreciated his life well enough.

..

Now, Danny was going up through a couple of stairs, Cujo never falling behind, since the map told him that normally he could find Clockwork in a room that was placed at the end of the stairs.

When he reached the top he realized that there were actually two doors....but the map only showed him one. Had Clockwork made a mistake? Impossible. It was the Master of Time he was thinking about, and there was no way, in Daniel's mind, that he could make such a mistakes.

So the boy touched the blob again, and in a soft flash of green light the organism started morphing until it took the form of the part of the castle he was currently in. The boy took up the "map" all the way up to his eyes, scrutinizing it. But he could only see one door.

So the boy shrugged, and leaving the matter alone, decided to pick one of the doors using a very reasonable and original method:

"Enie minie miney moe....."

His fingers moving right-left, left-right, pointing one door after another consecutively after pronouncing a word.

At the end the one at the right won.

So he touched the blob again and it turned into a round jell-o thing again (he couldn't find a way to name it).

Then, reaching for the door, noticed that this one looked much more worn out. It was painted black and seemed to be falling apart for a moment, but it didn't, and curiosity commanding him to open the door, he grabbed the door handle, and very gingerly pushed the door in.

The place was completely dark at first.

Suddenly there was flash of green followed by a purple one, and when the light died out the room lit up with a much more graceful white light that seemed to be irradiated from the white walls.

He had never been in a place like that. There were all kind of strange artifacts and documents positioned all around the place in different shelves and desks. Danny had never seen those kind of objects, even though some of them were still pieces of papers written in languages he couldn't understand. Some of the objects looked so old he thought that he could break them just by breathing besides them......but others.....others looked really futuristic and alien.

Danny then saw a very curious dog slipping in through the boy's legs (since Danny haven't moved from the door all the time while scanning the room with his eyes), and he suddenly was afraid that the dog could end up breaking something.

So he took a few steps inside and called for the curious dog.

"Hey! Cujo" the dog turned around to face him, and so Danny continued, "Come here! you might break something" The dog barked in response and followed Danny towards the door, confirming the halfa's theory that the dog understood his language.

But before Danny had managed to get out of the room he heard something.

Well not something.....

Someone.

"**Who is there?......you are not Clockwork......**"

Silence.

Danny stood in front of the door in silence petrified.....that voice...that deep and demanding voice.....

He heard as the deep voice started to grin....then louder; and then it started to laugh.

It sounded like a sick laugh......much more than Plasmius.

"**HahahaHAHAHAHA......I see....I recognize your voice**"

And suddenly Danny knew exactly who it was.

* * *

_**WELL THE WAS OBVIOUS XD**_

_**This is not intended to be a huge cliffhanger since this story has no plot whatsoever LOL XD But I didn't want to start things here and then having to finish it in another chapter. I want all of what is going to happen next in just one n_n....**_

_**chp 7 is already slowly in progress so anyone who reviews gets a mini sneak peak :D **_

_**HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!! I send to you all my best wishes!!**_

_**thanks for reading n_n**_

_**-Blue**_

_**Updated: January 4, 2010**_


	7. Instant of insanity

**_Edit: I forgot to add this- zafiro: Lol u didn't leave an email address so I couldn't reply to you! THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the review, and yes Danny is permanently going to adopt Cujo :D he is way too cute XD_**

**_I've revised this a 100 times and each time I've found a 100 mistakes XD wow those are a lot of errors o_O and I'm pretty sure there are a 1000000 more hiding from me. So yeah sorry about that.....lol I apologize about this every single chapter XD I don't even understand why some ppl still read this o_O (thanks for that :D)_**

**_Anyways, college already started and I'm pretty sure that since next Monday posting anything is going to be impossible for me! and I'm already taking too long to update each chapter so I at least owe my readers an early chp before next one which I will try to have by April (since its Semana Santa XD)._**

**_Anyways enjoy the chapter :D!! (if that's even possible o_OU)_**

Instant of insanity

For a moment he went back to the past.

Images passing through his head in milliseconds as he remembered what could have perfectly fit as a nightmare.

Frozen in the spot and grasping the door's edge with an immense force Daniel couldn't do much but breath slowly as his worst fear came to life.

HIMSELF still existed, like a presence telling him that that future was still alive and breathing with its own malice......his penetrating cold voice making him shiver.

The boy came only back to his senses when he felt a certain dog rubbing his head against his leg to make sure the ghost boy was okay. He wasn't.

Suddenly the voice spoke again: "**Awww how sweet, little me is still as shy as I remember to be. Does it hurt little Danny to hear me speak? Are you remembering the pleasant view of the deceased? Aren't our parents dead y****et? Haven't our innocent 'friends' taken their last breaths? HUH? WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO DIE? I WANT THEM TO DIE ALREADY......Y-you will become me eventually**" he chuckled "**YOU WILL**".........no reply.

The shocked halfa started trembling and walking towards the voice, and as he did a low sound escaped from his lip, but Dan couldn't understand.

"**WHAT? CAN'T YOU SPEAK? HAHAHAHAHA, how cute!! why can't you face your future? Why are you still a coward? COME ON, become me so I can be free!! FACE REALITY AND SET YOURSELF FREE!! SOMEDAY THEY WILL HAVE TO DIE EVENTUALLY ANYWAYS!! And is going to be your fault! Our fault!!**", yet again the evil version of Daniel grinned.

The low mutter was heard again...

"**Hmmm? Is that a yes?**" the teasing voice said.

"I said.....SHUT UP" When Danny finally said this he had found it.

Danny came to grasp reality then; there it was: the thermos.

His body came to peace as so did his mind when he realized it since.....for a moment he could have sworn that his inexistent dark self was running errant again.

The object had been placed on the center at the right side of the room, the base below it seemed futuristic: completely white and it looked as if it was made of some kind of an un-breakable shinny plastic; the thermos floating just a few centimeters above it. And even if the whole place seemed to irradiate light by itself, the vibe that the cylinder gave was so obscure that psychologically Danny felt as if the place had become darker.

The face of his obscure future was imprinted in the grey and green cylinder; mocking him...to a level where he started yelling again:

"ITS A LIE, ALL YOU SAID IS A LIE!! I put you there, I captured you!! You are NOT ME!! YOU WILL NEVER BE SO SHUT UP!!!" The young halfa was still trembling, his widely open and shocked eyes never leaving the thermos, and tears started to form and fall down since gravity seemed to be in effect even in this disturbed room; the trapped ghost laughed much harder making his deep voice reverberate through the entire room.

Meanwhile a little ghost exited the room barking wildly and running as fast as he could. A desperate look in his puppy eyes that dared to become the ones of a furious dog.

Suddenly the laugher stopped leaving the half ghost anxious for what he was going to say next, his voice coming out, at the beginning, more calm: "**But I still do exist, even in this confined thermos situated in this unknown place I still exist!! so they are going to die eventually....ALL GOING TO DIE HAHAHAHA ISN'T THAT JUST RELIEVING? Just a couple of years more....I'm sure!! That's why I'm still here...I'M SURE!!!**" Each one of this words increasingly giving away a sense of insanity.

Every word the older ghost had said had struck hard into his heart; until the boy couldn't do much but to tilt his head upward and let out from his lips a pained yell:

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH" while the tears kept falling down every second faster. His hands came up simultaneously to grasp his head as an attempt to restrain himself from falling apart. He continued after the cry: "SHUT UP WILL YOU? JUST SHUT UP!!! I PROMISED....I promised..." his voice coming out every second lower "....that I will never turn into you.....your existence is a mistake" and as he did the older version of himself started grinning stronger as he heard the pleasant sounds of pain and sorrow coming from Danny's voice which also gave out his state of mind.

"**You know its not true Daniel, you know that I'm still here because THEY are going to die eventually, and its going to be your fault!! AND YOU KNOW IT DON'T YOU? HAHAHAHAHAHA hearing that human scream of pain of yours.....makes me proud to recall the thought that I let go of OUR humanity a long time ago**" the voice still teasing him.

The young boys heart slowly shattering to pieces as he saw the faces of his loving ones leaving the living world to join the dead.....he could remember Vlad's pained face from when he told him the story....the maddening hate from the ghosts he had almost destroyed.......and the thought of it happening all over again.

His rage growing stronger as the thought that the promise he had given to his guardian had been a lie, and as the insane laugh of his older self reverberated through the room; that mocking laugh that made his blood boil...and suddenly Danny was preparing a punch....

The cruel laugh growing stronger.

The halfa moving towards the cylinder with an ectoblast formed in the punch.

His future-self blinded by the Thermos.....but waiting for the reaction he predicted.

The hand moving up and forward with tremendous speed.

Nothing happened.

Danny just left his hand hanging there in the grasp, his head lowering down as the tears kept falling down, and the laugh dying out as he felt his presence.

Clockwork softened his grip as he felt Danny's hand lowering down, and the trapped malevolent ghost couldn't help much but to shut up and sigh as he realized that his attempt of going free had been frustrated. No words where spoken. The Master of Time, never letting go of the boy's hand, gently pulled Danny to turn around and out of the room, and as he did so did the old door closed by itself, and while Danny kept staring down at the floor he missed that same door becoming transparent until it wasn't there anymore. Meanwhile Clockwork kept guiding him until they both crossed the door that Danny had just missed for a game of Eeny meeny miny moe.

The wise ghost let go, Danny still paying closer attention to the floor than to the quiet ghost. And for many more minutes the game of silence kept going on un-interrupted. That was until they both heard a low concerned bark. Suddenly Danny was out of his shocked state of mind, and instead started staring back at the dog who kept a cute concerned look with his head tilted to one side inspecting the boy.

"Danny-" Clockwork began but he was interrupted. He didn't see that future coming and was taken aback; Danny just said:

"Why?...."

Clockwork was now uncertain of what to reply, he didn't want to hurt the child, and so he attempted to predict the question and answered: "He lives out of the timeline that's why-" but suddenly the wise ghost was interrupted again.

"NO....why didn't you do something earlier.....I....I've been trying so hard to take the memory out of my head and then THIS happens!! I just want it to go away!" Danny then lifted his head up to face his guardian; he had the form of an adult. Incredible enough he found the ghost wearing a troubled shocked face that prevented him from saying "It's all your fault".

"It's all your fault"

The halfa almost jumped from surprise as his thoughts were spoken out loud by someone else. A "hmm?" came out from his mouth, and Clockwork composed his face.

"You are right Daniel...I'm sorry" his voice was soft, and his figure changed to one of an old man. He continued: "Danny....I'm really sorry, but I didn't know that this was going to happen. I'm not like everybody expects me to be, I don't know absolutely everything and thus I also make mistakes. I thought that the possibilities of the entrance to that realm appearing in front of you was too slight to worry about it.....I was so confident of your safety inside this fortress that I left you unobserved and on top of that I didn't notice when you went out of my sight." At hearing the ghost's troubled words the boy started feeling guilty for blaming the only ghost who had fully supported him since his run-away. He was in no condition to blame him, Clockwork hadn't done anything wrong, instead he had saved him from that future, and yet still he was here taking his anguish against him, and the funny thing was that to make Clockwork feel bad he had only needed a small amount of words. But even while feeling this Danny kept silent looking back to the ground as an attempt to escape the Master of Time's gaze.

The ghost yet continued as he saw the child's reaction, now with a much calmer face "When I heard Cujo's angry barks outside the door I knew that something wrong was happening....when I saw that the entrance of that place had appeared he had already gotten into you...." Clockwork couldn't come up to finish his sentence and the halfa took this opportunity to talk:

"No it's not your fault, I'm sorry, he is only my burden and not yours since I created that thing and those memories with my own actions-" suddenly the one who was interrupted was him.

"Daniel....you, and his existence, are my responsibility; as commanded by the Observants it has become my duty to prevent that future to ever happen again, and to keep an eye to that thermos, and thus just the fact that you came in contact with it is yet still my fault"

Silence.

The boy wasn't expecting that answer from the old ghost. Since when had he become his responsibility? For how long had he kept an eye over him? Is that why he had let him stay inside the castle? But despite all these questions he had just come up with he only had one that the boy wanted to have answered:

"If I had hit the thermos....you know..." The boy asked upset and with a feeling of uneasiness expecting the dreadful answer.

"Yes, and indeed that was his intention all along as he kept playing with your state of mind. That place where the thermos is located is outside the time stream, and thus a normal being whose life has always been dependent of time would eventually become insane living there...at the same time being trapped is not exactly a very pleasant feeling on itself"

"So he just wanted me to release him? But he said that when I became him then he would be free then....I don't get it....if he still exists I mean..."

"He lied to you."

That answer took the boy by surprise, and finally for the first time a smile started to form upon Clockwork's lips. Still they both kept silent, the old ghost, changing its form to look like child, turned around to face at the huge round-shaped form that on its inside could be seen the image of ectoplasm moving in circles and doing swirls. That was until the Master of time swung his staff from left to right making the ectoplasm form a whirl until a scene appeared, just like if the circle thing had become a window.

Danny didn't pay attention at all to this, the only thing he could think of was how he had been fooled by his darker future self. He had almost released him because of those stupid lies. Lies that he, in some dusty and dark corner of his mind, still somehow believed to be true. But he shook those thoughts out if his head because even thought he should have been feeling guilty about the disaster his rage could have caused, he was also, in the opposite side of his mind, extremely happy; the fact that he wasn't going to turn into him (if he didn't provoke it off course) was relieving enough to make all those black thoughts disappear in a mist.

Calming down he lifted his gaze again and for the first time paid some attention to the peculiar room. But, thinking it twice, for him it wasn't strange at all for the boy had visited this place already twice: The first time he was brought here accidentally thanks to Clockwork's attempt to test Danny when the event he was just recalling happened, and the second time when he had come to look for help to cure theirs friends form a disease the fruitloop had unleashed on them (he is still uncertain how he found this place that time, and now he is sure that the Master of Time helped him out).

The place was huge, and there where gears hanging from everywhere along with all kind of clocks, watches, and bells. There was even a huge pair of clock arrows hanging from a big wall which by the way was also colored green like the whole place, thought there was some purple and violet here and there.

When Danny turned his head up to look at the clock cogs in the ceiling his eyes came to rest on a very big bell that he recognized way too well, and as the memory came to his mind he let out an audible "ouch" just remembering it.

Clockwork heard this and started laughing; then turned around to face the bell and said "Oh well that was quite fun" making the boy turn to glare at him.

"Yeah because it wasn't YOUR head being banged against it over and over again" the boy said frowning and the older ghost sighed.

"Oh those where good times...." he said mockingly, his eyes never leaving the bell.

"Oh yeah, I loved the part when you almost cut my head off, that was a very good touch! or when you summoned an army of yourself to kill us three, yep definitely those where the best of all times!" Danny replied with as much sarcasm as possible making The Master of Time grin yet again.

"Yep banging your head was surely fun" He said as if he had been ignoring the boy, and then turned around to continue watching the window of time. Danny just let it go and picked up the dog that had been sitting by his side the whole time.

"Now who wants to play catch?" As soon as he said this the ghost barked and started to move his tail again, so the boy placed the dog back down and continued "We will play 'catching the old ghost's staff' got it?" Cujo barked, and Clockwork turned around to face them and said:

"Oh don't even think so!!" while the dog changed his form of a puppy into a gigantic being.

"Cujo go get it!" commanded Danny, and thus the dog let out a deep bark and started running towards the Master of Time.

Clockwork just frowned and sighed.....he then took the staff and pressing a button he said "TIME OUT".

* * *

_**Damn that was a long chapter.**_

_**Yep Dan sounded kind of desperate up there but I just thought that anyone would become at least a little bit of insane being trapped there, Clockwork explained it well anyways XD...or I'm just justifying the OOC-ness n_nU**_

_**I had to sacrifice myself and watch TUE again to write this....I didn't want to because I mean who likes that episode? pfffffft if I liked it I would have made a fanfiction based on it!!! and I have NEVER EVER have made an allusion to it ever Pffft.**_

_**Okay sarcasm fail XD**_

_**I just kept smiling when Clocky came up :D I just love him!! his all like "I pwn you all cause I know all" XD he is awesome.**_

_**Anyways....**_

_**Thanks for reading!!**_

_**Have a nice day n_n**_

_**-Blue**_

_**Updated: January 29, 2010.**_


	8. Unexpected visitants

_**I know I know! I know that I haven't updated in months! SORRY :( the funny thing is that I finished writing this chapter back in July and never posted it XD lol …or maybe its another reason to feel bad? :O sorrryy!**_

_**Oh yeah! Before I forget to mention this: I'm really near from reaching the 50 reviews, can you believe it? (lol my first fanfiction with so many reviews, I feel so happy!) so the person who becomes the 50th review will…win something? JK, that person wins a request to either include something they would like to happen in this story (but it then gotta be canon to the storyline of this fanfiction at least) or a oneshot request (under some terms I have like no yaoi etc…) I know it's not the best prize ever but it's all I can manage to do :P**_

Unexpected visitants

He wasn't so sure about what he was really doing. Somehow his sane part was trying to make him understand that his cause was pointless. But the boy just kept ignoring it knowing that what he was doing was the only thing productive and helpful he could think of to achieve in this new home of his.

Continuing moving his arm up and down, he kept painting.

The job wasn't that bad because he could fly up and down rather than having to stretch his arm as high as he could when he was painting the walls of his room in the human realm. But even then the job was tiring. He had started with the 'dinning' room which was huge, and then moved on to paint the places he though where the most important because he just couldn't stand a second more to watch everything so...green. Hell he even had a nightmare where everything was freaking green. So one day he decided to approach Clockwork to ask him of a way to find some props to paint the walls in the ghost zone.

He had been doing this for a couple of days already, and had since then noticed that a lot of ghosts actually came inside the tower to do all kind of things he was uncertain of. He had even recognized some of them, but the boy tried to either ignore them or hide whenever that happened because he kind of was more hated than loved.

Danny leaned down to wet the brush with some more paint, and continued working.

Some time or another Clockwork would stumble by him and grin at the boy to which he just rolled his eyes or ignored the Master of Time. When the ghost boy had expressed his decision to the old ghost the other one just mocked him since he had found it quite hilarious.

_

* * *

"Sooooo...Clockwork my buddy what's up?" Danny said as he encountered the Master of Time at one of the main rooms; the boy had predicted that he would be there, and he was right._

_The ghost who was in his adult form just raised one eyebrow and kept a serious expression. "I sense that you are about to amuse me again child, what is it?" replied the cloaked ghost as he stopped in front of the halfa._

_"Remember when I mentioned painting the walls the other day?" Clockwork started grinning, serious expression long gone. Danny continued "Well I was wondering if there was a way to find some props in the ghost zone so I can start painting some". The ghost just stared at the boy for a moment, and then he raised both eyebrows in amusement as he imagined Danny doing such a ridiculous thing._

_"You know if you are so bored in here you can start your own business in the ghost zone, or practice by facing some enemies, those wouldn't be such tedious and boring things to do" The ghost replied grinning, his form changed to one of a child, and at the same time Danny wondered if he was serious about facing his enemies since that wasn't something you would hear from the person trying to protect you..._

_"Come on man, I'm starting to have nightmares with all the green in here!" he replied with a desperate tone and ignoring his last comment. He was now annoyed but he knew that it had been a mistake to reply in that way, it would just give the other ghost another reason to tease him._

_"Hahahaha! Alright alright, lucky I'm not green too or that would be awkward, you trying to change my colour I mean" The Master of Time said as he started to laugh harder, Danny doing then just the opposite as he kept a serious expression not happy at all. Though he would have in another occasion because having Clockwork laugh like that, a ghost who was usually very busy and serious, was very rare, but he was not in the mood to notice this as the boy replied:_

_"That's not funny" frowning, and crossing his arms._

_"Well that's why I'm certainly not the Master of Jokes," He said as he slowly stopped laughing and brushing of a tear from his right eye. Danny wanted to be over with it already, and somewhere near them he heard cujo barking as he approached them both._

_"Clockwork did something happened? I thought you were the serious type..." the halfa asked as he started at the ghost with curiosity on his eyes._

_"No, I'm just quite entertained by your initiative, if you want to take your time on painting the walls then be it, I hope you finish someday this millennium though, you know how fast time likes to fly away" Clockwork replied still grinning a little, and then watching as a little cute green dog approached the halfa from behind and sat down besides him._

_"Oh I'm quite sure you know more than anyone else" Danny replied as he raised the dog with his hands, and continued, "anyways, can you answer my first question?" The dog licked his face and the boy lighted up._

_"Hahahaha, yeah yeah, leave it to me" The ghost then pet the dog's head, and resumed talking before leaving: "good luck with that" he winked at him, and then disappeared._

The next day the halfa found all he needed outside his room.

* * *

Danny sighed. He wasn't sure how much time he had spent painting in the current day, but he sure was getting tired and hungry again. But even then the boy had decided not to stop until he was finished with the room he was working on now since there wasn't much left to paint.

Suddenly he heard a voice.

"There he is" The voice was kind of off and funny. The ghost boy turned around to find a weird looking pair of ghost staring -and one of them pointing- at him. The kid then frowned, they weren't only identical but...their head was replaced with a green container with a huge eye on its center,_ 'what the...'._

"Ummm who are you?" The boy asked kind of annoyed and at the same time surprised by the strange pair of ghosts rudely pointing at him like he was some predicament they should get rid of.

"How rude" the ghosts said in unison. The boy just raised both eyebrows as he was taken aback by the ironic comment.

"You shouldn't even be here to begin with boy, so you should start respecting us as we are..." continued saying the ghost on the right, or that was until an annoyed and offended Danny interrupted him:

"Listen I don't really care who the both of you are, but I have all the rights to be here if I want to so please go away now because I'm working and would like to finish this as soon as possible, thank you" They boy then turned around and resumed painting, while both of the ghosts stared at each other in discontent for a second, then they replied...

"HOW DARE YOU BRAT..." started saying the ghost at the left,

"...WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE..." continued the one in the right, and by this moment the boy had already turned around again to stare at them as the two odd looking ghosts took turns to talk in symphony just like they had their minds connected, one continuing after the other:

"...A HALFA ORDERING SOMEONE..." Danny was surprised now, again.

"...LIKE US TO GO AWAY?..."

"...YOU'VE GOT SOME NERVES..."

"BOY!" they shouted in unison. By this time Danny was glad that they were done, his head was spinning just by turning his eyes back and forth as the speaker changed, then the teenager remembered something that was bugging him off and said:

"Did one of you said...halfa?" In reality he knew that being referred to as such was quite normal, but that was with the ghost who he actually knew, and not some random ghosts he had never heard off.

"What about it? That's what you are, a half ghost..." said the ghost in the right.

"...and a menace" Continued the ghost at the left making a strong emphasis on the word menace, and for a moment Danny thought that the ghost was going to spit venom along with it. So now was the boy's turn to reply:

"Oh I SEE, but don't worry I won't feel offended by someone who has an eye as a head, I wonder though, where are your mouths?" if he had learned something while ghost hunting was to come with bad puns at any moment and any time, and it worked this time as both ghosts started trembling in anger.

"YOU LITTLE-" they started saying in unison but had to stop as they heard the growing laugh of a ghost they knew very well.

"Observants! my friends! as annoying as ever, how can I serve you?" Danny giggled at this. The Master of Time had the form of an old man at the moment.

"Clockwork what is the meaning of this, we told you that we didn't want that brat in here, halfas are not beings to be trusted! Letting him live in the tower, what were you thinking?" said the Observant at the right side as Clockwork approached the group to stand behind the boy, and putting a protective hand over his left shoulder. The old ghost replied:

"But what is the problem? I'm quite sure if anything like that were to happen that some of you will be able to foreseen it" a smile formed on his face, which he had been doing quite often since Danny came to live in the tower.

"That's not how it works Clockwork, your job is-" the other Observant replied indignant, but was cut off like his companion by the same man.

"My job is to protect the time stream. Even if that means following your orders, and not the other way around" Clockwork said, his voice this time serious as he frowned at them. With this sudden change of attitude the Observants suddenly felt nervous and overwhelmed by the authority of his voice, but then with quivery voice still answered at the same time:

"The Council won't like that answer-" Clockwork decided to interrupt them again. He used to do this when the ghost got annoyed just by already knowing what they were going to say in the future, he didn't need to hear it twice.

"The Council never approves anyways, they actually never do anything, after all 'why do anything when you have ghosts outside to act in your behalf?' " The Master of Time had always disliked this part of his job and the Observants knew it, but they still always left the dirty work to him, so the pair decided to ignore his comment and instead the ghost at the right said:

"If anything goes wrong, you will be the only one responsible" while his companion nodded, both ghosts staring angrily at the annoyed old ghost.

"And if everything goes fine, you won't thank me, that's how it have always been, so if you don't have any more intelligent remarks, could the both of you take the leave? I'm busy here" replied Clockwork coldly as he glared at them with impassive eyes.

"We will be watching..." replied both Observants in unison, their tones darks, and their glares this time directed to the younger half ghost, who in return smiled at them with all the intention to intensify their anger, so then this time it was Danny who replied:

"Now aren't you always?" The two ghosts gave him a threatening look and then turned away and left.

It was then that Danny realized that Clockwork had taken away his hand form his shoulder, and so the halfa turned around to ask something to the Master of Time but to his surprise he was already gone .

The boy decided to resume to his job.

One hour later: he sighed, and placing the brush down, he declared the room to be finished, finally! Danny had been wanting to finish this faster for he was hungry, but shoved away his desire knowing that he couldn't leave the room in the mess it was like, and decided first to clean it and put all the furniture back to where it had been.

_CREEEEEKKK..._

Danny heard the sound of a couch being moved and for a moment he thought that it had been Cujo trying to help him out, but when he turned around to see, he's jaw fell.

"So Danny, where does this go?" Said the girl as she tried to help out.

"DANI?"

_**

* * *

I love those kinds of endings as you can see XD**_

_**Ummm please answer the poll concerning this story, you can find it on my user profile PLEASEEE!**_

_**Thanks for reading ;)**_

_**-Blue**_

_**Updated: September 25, 2010.**_


	9. Unstable

_**I think I forgot how to write (actually, I think I forgot every english word I know) o_O sorry 'bout that, and I know that I haven't updated in so long that it makes me feel awful :(**_

_**Judging the 11 votes on the poll, you prefer longer chapters (and more waiting XD) than fast short updates, well it was just 6 against 5 so yeah if you think otherwise you can go vote now at the top of my profile XD But for the time being I'm going to keep my 2500-2700 words per chapter. (This means it will take less chapters to finish, read more about it at the end)**_

Unstable

"So... you live here? It's kind of creepy!" Dani said as she munched on some chips and looked around Danny's present room. The ghost boy nodded in agreement, and then sighed.

"I know right, I got lost at first, but it's nice... you know, better than living by myself and eating the Lunch Ladys' food" he replied and grinned as Dani turned to look at him with a frown on her face.

The moment Danny saw Danielle he froze, unable to believe it. He had felt so lonely on the past week that finally finding a friendly face like her made him feel at ease. Clockwork was more like a guardian than an actual friend with whom he could hang around after all.

So both of them were currently in his room catching up with each other, but as he felt relieved with her, she changed the topic to a more uncomfortable one.

"Hey, I've seen Sam and Tucker come through the portal a couple of times, I think they are worried..." Danny looked down and kept silent for a while; then he looked up at the ceiling, all the time just trying to avoid her gaze, she continued, "I've heard what happened, I mean... I guess all the Ghost Zone might know by now, maybe Clockwork did something to shut the others up, because most of them knows you're here, that's how I found you" as she finished Danny faced forward and looked into her eyes with a blank face, then he shook his face, and replied.

"Yeah well, I don't know much, I mean all I do here is play with Cujo and paint walls" at this they both grinned, "Maybe there's a reason I have to stay here? I don't know, but that's how I feel... I guess, well..." he paused.

"What? You think that it might be dangerous to go back?" The ghost boy sighed, nodded, and then replied.

"Well maybe... if I go back... I feel something will go wrong, well I know I'm scared, that might be it... " He said honestly, and happy she was there to hear him out after feeling so stressed the past days. Dani smiled at him and stretched her arm to put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok Danny I think I understand, but try to keep an open mind to it, I'm sure your parents and your friends loves you no matter what" she said, with a contagious smile that made Danny look up.

"Thanks" he replied, and looking at his 'cousins' face, she took away her hand and tried to lighten up the mood.

"Hey... so did you know that the Lunch Lady fell in love with the Box Ghost?" she said changing the topic to a more amusing one.

"NO WAAAAYYYYY" Danny's expression completely changed into a grin.

* * *

After being practically suffocated between green walls and his own room, he finally went out to have some 'fun' in the ghost zone. Dani leading the way, they were going to visit the lair she had found after the ghost girl started to live inside the ghostly realm. In the way to her home he realized that most of the other specters looked at the boy in very strange ways, some of them seemed to gossip while looking at him, others just ran away, or doing the opposite, stared at him for the longest time. That made the boy feel uneasy, but he shrugged the feeling away and just continued along with his clone Dani until they finally arrived.

It was the first time he had ever seen something like that; just the thought of it was kind of funny. When the girl had told him she had found a liar he imagined a cave or some empty room floating behind one of those purple doors, but it never crossed his mind something like this.

It was a building with two apartments by floor (there where 7 floors), and the ghost girl was even friends of some of her neighbors. Just like the human world. '_Well that was unexpected_' he thought over and over again.

She lived on the 4th floor, apartment 402 to be exact, and her floor neighbor was none other than the Lunch Lady, making everything to fall in place like a puzzle, _'so that's why she ate her food, and knows so much about her relationship with...'_ his thoughts where cut off by his own grin. Dani just looked at him in a curious way and invited him in.

The place wasn't that big or that fancy, but it was fine and not so dirty (not very clean either). There was one room, a bathroom, and a living room; there was no kitchen, which made him wonder why there was a bathroom.

Her room had a bed, a desktop with a laptop on it, a window at the right side of her bed, and a closet at the other. In the living room was only a table with two chairs, a white sofa and a strange plant with yellow eyes bright enough to lit up the room. Danny seeing that...thing... took a step back scared, and Dani seeing his reaction laughed and said: "Don't worry its completely harmless; I'm more scared of you hahahahaha" she kept laughing while Danny frowned.

The ghost boy helped her clone to clean up the table and tidy her room, all the while talking about what've been going on. Danny told her the whole story of how he ended up at Clockwork's, and when they where done, both of them sat on the couch sighing in relief. They where still discussing the last topic when suddenly they heard a knock on the door.

"Who could it be?" the ghost boy asked as he looked puzzled at the door. Dani shrugged showing her ignorance and stood up to open, but she didn't open it completely so from the position that Danny was he couldn't see much. Even so, judging by the small features that caught his eyes the boy sensed problems. His heart started racing, and as he thought what to do, Dani, without saying a single word, opened a little more the door, confirming the boys theory as he saw the blue skin, red cape, white suit, and the never ending teasing smile forming up into the old mans face with the fangs showing themselves menacingly.

"Well then young miss, aren't you going to let your father in? " His annoying voice woke up the girl from her shock, and with a burning gaze, turned up to face the older halfa.

"What are you doing here, _father_? What do you want form me now?" she replied, never leaving the door nor letting him in. He looked down, his smile gone, but still very calm.

"My my aren't we too cocky today, don't get your hopes up, I'm here for the _other_ Daniel" with this statement the girl froze, and Danny began to get even more worried. He was about to say something but Dani beat him to it.

"I don't know what you're talking about, so get lost" she replied, about to close the door, when suddenly he put his hand on it and forced it completely open, and gazing at the irritated halfa standing in front of the couch, he said:

"Hello there little badger, long time no see, did you know, you're a celebrity worldwide! What a curios thing it is, the internet I mean" he said with a grin forming up in his face for the pleasure of seeing the boys frightened expression. Dani was about to ask something but the man replied already knowing the question "Miss did you really believed that I would leave one of my creations unsupervised?" she gasped in realization, he continued, "Ah I see, you're as naive as always" and to this comment she frowned, never leaving the spot between the living room and the entrance.

"Get away form here Vlad, whatever you want we aren't interested!" the girl said with a tone of anger.

The older ghost looked at her annoyed and asked, (all the while Daniel was still standing in the same spot frozen) "Well aren't you being a little too energetic today? Does that mean that you're more stable or is that your rude attitude?" he said teasing her, "Now get out of the way". The girl felt something funny at her feet and when she looked down green goo was forming around them, and as she gasped, she jumped out of the older halfa's way.

It was then that the boy got out form his shock, and finally talked, "Dani? What's going on? What does he mean by stable?", he then looked angry at Vlad, and continued "What is going on? What did you do to her?" and without noticing, he was already forming an ectoblast in his hand, but as he got more angry the rich man took out a needle full of a green solution, and started toying with it, mocking them.

"Well if this isn't the solution to your instability problem, what a coincidence I brought it with me today" he replied, his smile as persistent as always, the younger halfas as irritated as ever.

"What do you want, Vlad?" The young boy asked annoyed. The older man looked at him.

"Daniel, my littler badger, why are you looking at your uncle Vlad like that? I came here with no harmful intentions; I'm just here to discuss a very simple matter. It won't take long either," He said making his way into the living room and sitting on a chair. Dani then closed the door, and went over Danny's side, not hiding her fear anymore.

"Fine then, what is it now?" the boy replied annoyed.

"Very well then, lets get straight to the point" he sighed; the overwhelming sensation that the superior character of him gave off was suddenly cut off from his features, and instead a sad and worried Vlad was left. He wasn't used to show off his soft side so he couldn't help but make a menacing entrance, but knowing the topic he was about to pick up he couldn't do much but let his guard down. The man placed the syringe over the table, crossed is arms upon the same, and looked with very concerned eyes at Danny. The two namesakes looked at each other surprised. The man started talking: "Listen Daniel, I don't care if the world is chasing you or if the people hate you or not... but your parents... but Maddie... Well, they are devastated, and have gone mad! At the beginning I thought it was interesting but now I'm getting worried" making a very serious face and standing up he continued, "You need to come back boy!"

There was a short awkward moment of silence. Dannys' mind had gone blank, Danielle didn't know what to say, and Vlad was just waiting for a response; one which didn't came, so he decided to be more persuasive.

"If you do so I promise to give the solution to our dear Danis' problems, if you refuse, I will tell them where you are" he said with a more mean voice, "I've heard rumors... are you staying at Clockworks perhaps? Hmm boy?" the tone of superiority back, and Danny couldn't contain himself anymore, so he decided to answer.

"I'm sorry but I can't, I'm not ready yet, and I don't believe that neither are my parents from what I just heard. If I go back there I will be treated as the freak they see me as, they might even experiment on me, dissect me molecule by molecule, or even worse things I can't even imagine... I just, well I just can't, sorry but I can't!" a couple of tears came down from the boys eyes, and for a moment Vlad felt sympathy for him. Dani looked at him with understanding eyes, and Danny continued, "I'm sorry Dani, I promise to find a way to stabilize you, and I'm sorry Vlad, but by the way my parents looked at me back then, I don't think I can do much for her..."

"I understand then" he turned around and headed for the door, he turned the doorknob, pulled it, and just before going out he turned around and finished the conversation, "You have a great ally, I won't force you or tell your location because not even I can mess up with the Master of Time, but please do remember what I said about your parents... Your mother is a good woman, and I can't see her hating you, so think about it" and with that the evil mastermind left the apartment, leaving a very curious syringe in top of the table.

It was then that the boy realized that the man was not that bad, but rather pitiful and lonely. His tears stopped coming down, he went up to the table and picked up the syringe, smiled, shook his head, gave a last glance to the place Vlad was just standing a couple of seconds ago, and gave the shot to his cousin.

She never became unstable after that day.

* * *

Danny opened his eyes, he didn't want to wake up because he knew that one of Clockworks' tutors might have been waiting on the dinner table to start todays' lessons. Why did he need to learn math or history anyways? Even then he still made up his mind, and after a big yawn, and a "good morning" to Cujo, he stood up, opened up the closet, took a towel and some clean clothes, and headed to the bathroom.

It have been a little more than a year since he had began to live at the castle, and sometimes he wondered if it was a dream. The routine was almost always the same: He would take a bath, have breakfast which magically made its way to the table (he had tried to stay asleep in the dinning room a couple of times to solve the mystery but it was still to no avail), and then he had some kind of lesson until lunch time, then he would find something to do which wasn't much, and at night, after dinner, he would do his homework if he had any.

But this time there was something to cheer him up a little: a couple of days ago he had won a computer after winning against Technus at DOOM. So after some persuasion he had managed to convince Clockwork to help him find a way to get some internet connection, which just magically decided to appear yesterday night (seriously what was with all the food and the stuff just suddenly appearing from nowhere? new clothes would sometimes make its way into his closet). So he decided that after lunch he would try to figure out how to install the new version of DOOM in the new laptop, but first he had to take bath, so taking off his pyjamas he went into the shower.

* * *

Cujo was barking happily running in circles as Danny placed down a bowl full of the dog's favorite food.

Danny smiled at the happy green dog, and then sat on his bed, taking his new laptop and placing it in his legs he turned it on. The boy waited for the computer to connect to the wi-fi, and soon after that he opened the explorer with Google as the main page. He had been excited about having some technology or connection to the outside human world, but now that he had the opportunity to have a glimpse of what was going on he started hesitating. Danny placed his hand barely a couple of millimeters from the keyboard; his mind was blank.

He breathed in and out, closed his eyes for a second and said, "here goes nothing", then he clicked on the searching bar, and finding some courage he typed in it.

_search: Amity Park_

* * *

**_Oh Oh... I think this story's getting near the end already, I don't know very much how much chapters it will take to finish this but I hope to be back to the present in 2-3 chapters. I'm saying this now because just now did I realized that there's not much left to write about (according to my imaginary plan that I hardly ever follow XD) I mean what's with me including Vlad in this? Seriously!_**

**_I want to apologize for taking so long to update, and I hope I will be able to get inspired again to write the next chapter as soon as possible (my biggest foe is my writer's block, but I will try my best to fight it from now on :P)_**

**_I hope you enjoyed this even thought it isn't one of my favorite chapters (I felt it was kind of pointless o_O), have a nice day!_**

**_-Blue_**

**_Uploaded: August 22, 2011_**


	10. Your duty

**_I know it have been almost a year since I updated, and lately the problem is not only for inspiration but, as I said in the last chapter, is that I'm forgetting how to English! XD lol, no but seriously it is a very annoying issue that I've been struggling with whenever I try to write something :'(_**

**_Anyway I want to thank anybody who, after so long, still reads the updates. It means a LOT to me. Also thanks for the new people who have lately added the story to their alerts, or favourites, for liking the story. It always make me happy to know that after such a long time without updates people are still able to find this :) I do hope I can start updating faster; I will try my best to do so!_**

Your duty

Danny hit enter, and the first results were actually not what he expected. Instead of finding news of what's been going on with the city these past years, he only found general sites of the city's history and facts. But something caught his attention as he saw those pages, and it was that Amity Park had as an actual fact that it had become the World's Most Haunted City. This made Danny wonder since even thought it was true that the city used to be haunted, he still had never heard of it being called like that specifically worldwide; so he decided to search for news. The results were what he was imagining them to be.

The citys' newspapers were mostly highlighting the parts of the city being attacked in order to aware the citizens where not to get near. They also announced where were the last fights so that they would know which parts were closed or not. This was called the "Ghost section" since it had one of it's own. The boy looked surprised at this, yes it was true ghosts did damage, but not that much to aware citizens; did it affected them that much? Who were stopping them? He was sure Valerie was one of those, but he didn't see any news about his parents. Instead it was the Ghost in Whites the ones featured in all these posts.

This left him wondering about his parent's jobs and was tempted to do a search about them, but the fear on finding news about himself after the incident stopped him from doing so. Instead, being a little shaken about what he had discovered, he decided to go out and ask a ghost, who frequented Amity Park, about what was going on; and remembering the directions to the lair of Johnny 13 he changed to his ghost form, and waving his hand at Cujo he told him "I'll be back" and left the room.

The boy was reaching the stairs that lead him to the door connecting the Time Castle to the Ghost Zone when he heard a voice form behind. It was Clockwork.

"Danny" he just said calling. The boy turned around to find a child looking Master of Time, and consequently started walking towards him. "What are you planning to do?" he asked. Danny pondered a moment about the exact meaning of the question, and then answered:

"I was just going to pay a visit to Johnny-" he was cut off midway,

"I know" Danny sighed and rolled his eyes as he stated the obvious; Clockwork continued "What are you planning to do with that information?" he asked again, his voice neither soft nor harsh, which confused the boy about what the ghost was trying to say, yet he answered honestly, not as annoyed as he thought he would be.

"I...actually, I don't know yet" he answered. The ghost never leaving his serious face he turned around ready to leave. Danny was still confused at this and kept staring at his back waiting for him to say something. The wise ghost changed into an old man and vanished leaving behind only the sound of a few words:

"When you figure it out you may go" and with that he heard the sound of a lock from a door which, forcefully, was shut from behind.

Danny turned around freaking out as he saw every single clockwork that surrounded the door, and which he thought was only decoration, taking life as they started moving towards the door in circles making it so that every single engine connected with one another until there was no sight left of the entrance behind. The boy could only stare confused as all of this happened wondering just what was going on, and why it was so wrong for him to go out like that. He was just going to ask something simple, why was Clockwork doing this? The ghost had never done anything like this before, normally Danny was very respectful and in the same way Clockwork always talked politely to the boy when he asked him to do or to not do something, but this time he felt as if he was being grounded by a parent.

They boy didn't had much choice so he decided to go back to his room. He sat down on his bed and as Cujo barked in excitement for seeing his master again the dog also jumped on the bed and sat on the boy's lap.

Danny spent most of his 'night' thinking about his incident with Clockwork.

* * *

The next day came as normal as ever, he performed his daily routine as if nothing had happened the day before, and as lunchtime approached he still had no idea about the answer to The Master of Time's question. The only thing he knew was that, if Amity Park's situation had gone as bad as he thought it had, then he would feel guilty about it.

The boy sat on the dinning room sighing heavily as he toyed with his food wondering what Clockwork had meant and why, but after all the thinking he had gone through, he still didn't understand what it was all about.

Just as the boy kept pondering about it the ghost in question entered the room, in his adult form quietly, and sat in the chair in front of him. Danny blinked a couple of times wondering about the sudden visit, and as he was about to at least greet him the ghost took the initiative and spoke before Danny could.

"Boy, I know what you are thinking, and being guilty is not going to solve anything, only depress you" his voice sounded a little more soft than Danny thought it was going to be.

"I understand... but going back... I just don't want to... even if it's my responsibility and I end up going, I still don't want to" Danny answered honestly while expecting a scold; which never came.

"Danny, I'm not asking you to go back, but rather to make you consider, if you could stop it from here, the ghost zone, would you do it?"

"Oh... I can do that? well off course I would! if it meant saving lives, if it meant helping at least a little, the answer is yes!" the boy replied with a hint of light on his eyes.

"Then come with me, the time has come... " said Clockwork as he stood up and started walking towards the door.

The boy blinked once, then twice, and giving a last glance to his half eaten meal he shrugged that thought and stood up from his seat to follow the Master of all Times.

The ancient ghost led the halfa into his Time Chamber. Before entering the young boy gave a last glance to his surroundings just to make sure that that was the only door present in the tower, and noticing that it was the right and only one he felt a sense of relieve, so he proceeded. The moment he got inside the boy saw a very notorious silhouette in the distance, and as he approached him, thanks to the faint green lights that emitted from all kinds of sources Danny didn't know at all, he was able to see who it really was.

There, standing firmly and at the same time awestruck with his surroundings, stood a very amused big human like white wolf thing that Danny thought was... the abominable snowman? In any other situation the halfa would have thought that such a ghost would be most probably evil, but by the way he seemed to be scanning the room with a delightful smile in his face gave him the impression that he was actually a very gentle one.

Still he was unknown to him so the confused boy gave a questioning look at Clockwork which he replied with a smile and an introduction towards the peculiar being in front of them, "Danny I would like you to meet a very good friend of mine, and hopefully soon yours, the leader of the Far Frozen Yeti clan: Frostbite".

The big white ghost finally turned around after realizing that they where present and, smiling proudly, he bowed towards Danny saying, "It's a great pleasure to finally be able to meet you saviour of the Ghost Zone!" The ghost then came walking towards the boy and offered his big hairy white hand for a handshake, which Danny gave back with a blank face that reflected his confusion.

Expecting a rational explanation the boy shifted his body and stared at Clockwork looking for an answer. The Master of Times then approached Frostbite and asked him to show him why he was there for; to which the Yeti nodded and then took out something he was carrying in his belt, and opened it in front of Danny to show him something that seemed like a map.

The boy, wondering what that was all about, looked up and asked the big ghost; so he replied, "Danny Phantom, hero of ours, it would be mine and my clans' honour if you would use our old relic, The Infi-Map, in order to help those who are in your need and thus save much more lives, that is, if you so desire so. " He then bowed at the halfa again and offered the boy the map so he could take it, which he did asking:

"Thank you very much Frostbite, but... what is this exactly?" the boy, just by staring at it, knew that it was the map of the ghost zone, but still he didn't quite understood how it worked; so the beast like ghost proceeded to explain him that the map could take him anywhere he wanted to go, or where he needed to be the most.

When the explaining was over Clockwork then asked in a very polite way for Frostbite to leave, for he needed to speak to Daniel about some other matters, but before he did the leader said one last thing "Dear young hero, remember that this map is to use cautiously and that we would like it to be returned to us whenever it is not being used for it is our most precious clans' item and we are the ones who are bound to protect it form falling into the wrong hands, so I as the leader would appreciate it if you would" the boy then gave him an understanding nod and a warm smile as they both exchanged a final handshake and then, bowing one last time with a smile towards the other two ghosts, he left the chamber.

The moment the sound of the closing door had vanished the Master of Times' appearance shifted to one of a child and he then proceeded to explain Danny what he intended to show him: "Daniel, you may have figured this already, but the purpose of this map is to assist you in the protection of your home-town, and if possible, the human realm in its whole. As the Far Frozen leader already explained to you, you can ask this map to take you to the portals from where other evil ghosts are going to cross to your realm and it will take you there before they do. Then you will proceed to stop them." The ghost explained calmly as the halfa took everything in. It sure was a lot of help but also created a lot of questions.

"But... I mean I'm grateful for your help and this makes the job easier, but I thought that you wanted me to stay safe inside the castle, or at least that's what I thought when I saw you stop me from going out. That and, I have no ghost thermos anymore, how is this even going to work?" the boy said worriedly as he gazed up into Clockworks' wise eyes.

The older ghost smiled slightly and then replied "I never intended to stop you from your duty as the protector of humans, but I did it to stop you from doing something reckless that it's better you don't know." with this Danny frowned, the ghost continued " and about the thermos, you don't need to capture them, just lure the ghosts out until the portal closes, thought with this I would like to assist you by giving you a piece of advice: you will find your way Danny, because this is your duty, it has always been, and so it is in your nature to solve the problems that will fall upon you while you are performing your task, this is why I would ask you to have more faith in yourself and in your abilities, because, boy, you have it in you, so don't ever falter, and keep strong, for it is in your true character to keep to your morals and be of help to the ones in your need."

At hearing this Dannys' face lit up. His chest felt warm again leaving behind all his previous confusion. Clockwork was more than just his friend, he was the ghost he had the most respect for and at the same time lately it had been as if the wise ghost was starting to seem more and more like a father figure to him. The halfa just stared at him, a smile forming in his face, and with great honesty he replied thankfully "Thank you very much Clockwork for believing in me".

The wise ghost smiled at the boy and then continued with his explanation "Very well son, now I must tell you this, there is a time for everything and so you can only perform this duty whenever you're not busy with any of your normal tasks, and so you will continue studying and, at the same time, you will start another class from tomorrow" in this part Danny just sighed irritated, the ghost continued his speech: "you will be training both your body and your ghost abilities, maybe sometimes I might assist you with the latter one" he said winking at him, and with this the halfas' face changed to one of surprise as his eyes widened "during this moments you will not seek for the map, you will eventually understand that your instinct will inform you of when you're needed and that sometimes your class hours will be changed unexpectedly too for this purpose" the ghost finished explaining leaving a very amazed boy staring at him in a kind of disbelief and a certain feeling of expectation.

"You...are you really, I mean do you even have time to?" the boy said enthusiastically.

"I always have time for whatever I intend to do boy" the ghost replied smiling even more in to which the boy smiled back.

* * *

Danny was tired.

He had been fighting a very wild and ugly bee-like ghost for an hour or so and had finally been able to knock him out just a couple of minutes ago. The halfa left out a tired sigh as he decided to call it a day.

The boy turned invisible so he wouldn't attract any other enemy ghosts and so he started flying slowly towards the Time Castle. He had been stopping ghosts from escaping for almost 6 hours so the only thing he could think about was how much he wanted eat something sweet and delicious, maybe some ice-cream...

His train of thoughts stopped as he came across a very nostalgic item: the Fenton Ghost Portal. He was used to have the map bring him here as it was the place from where most ghosts exited the Ghost Zone, but every single time it did it still brought upon him a very weird sensation in his stomach as nostalgia took over. This time it was worst because he wasn't focusing on any harmful ghost, and so he decided to stare for a moment at the black and yellow stripes that covered the entrance. Then the portal suddenly opened. It tended to do that a lot because his parents used to let the portal open in case his son decided to come back some day. Off course the boy didn't know that so he always thought it was just their carelessness.

Danny just stood there in front of it, his mind blank as if it were trying to protect him from creating unnecessary thoughts.

After some time staring at the open door, and seeing as he was alone, the boy decided to peak through the portal. It had been more than a year and a half since he had started living in the Ghost Zone and so was that also the amount of time without seeing his family. The boy started sweating as he got nervous and after taking a deep and brave breath, the boy stuck his head through the door (thought he was still invisible).

The boy let out a couple of tears as he saw the old and now dirty lab just the way he had left it when he disappeared. They boy spotted some new gadgets and, at the same time, some old ones that brought back memories from his old way of living.

Then, standing in a far corner doing some experiments, were his parents. They were too far away but he could see that his dad Jack had gotten thinner, and his mothers' hair had gotten longer and messy. His parents looked, even from afar, tired.

A soft sob escaped from the halfas' mouth as he stared at the form of their fathers.

He then felt a hand resting on his shoulder. Danny knew who it was and so he took his head out of the portal and turned around to see what seemed like a sympathetic old Clockwork. At seeing the reassuring and comforting smile of the wise ghost he went forward to hug him as he felt that he was the only one who could take away all his sorrow. The Master of Time hugged him back.

Both of them stood there for a couple of minutes.

When they separated the ghost looked into Danny's' eyes and knowing he had his attention told him: "The time hasn't come yet Daniel, even thought it is still up to you, I can assure you that it's better to leave it for the most proper time".

The kid nodded understandingly.

Somewhere inside the lab an old and forgotten device emitted a couple of sounds that were overlooked by the Fentons: "*sob*, Fear me".

* * *

_**I had to re-watch Infinite Realms to finish this...I regret nothing! :D**_

_**I will add to my reply a sneak-peak from next chapter to whoever reviews :) I know I've been failing as an author since I take so long to update D: and so I hope you will forgive me for that!**_

_**With everything being said, until next time! Farewell ;)**_

_**-Blue**_

_**Updated: July 17, 2012**_

_**PS: Guys guys GUYS! More people voted in the poll and I've got to say that I can't believe that so many people are actually opting for the shorter chapters even thought I always believed that no one wanted those lol. The poll is always open and with it the length of my chapters might or might not change, so go ahead and vote :D (yes yes the long chapters are winning anyway by 3 votes, but the point is: thanks for actually caring! :) )**_


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